UML orders leaders, rank and file to campaign for polls

KATHMANDU, May 9: CPN-UML has directed the party leaders and rank and file to compulsorily take part in the election campaign across the country. While the party's office bearers are scheduled to campaign in major constituencies, the second rung leaders including those representing the party in parliament have been asked to campaign for party's candidates in their respective districts.

UML leaders said that all top leaders including party chair KP Sharama Oli, vice chairmen Subash Nembang, Bhim Rawal and Bamdev Gautam, party general secretary Ishwar Pokharel, and secretary Yogesh Bhattarai among others are scheduled to take part in electoral campaigns in major constituencies.

“The party has been deploying top leaders to various cities across the country on need basis. All leaders have been directed to campaign in their respective areas,” said party secretary and spokesperson Yogesh Bhattarai.

On Monday , UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli campaigned for party's Kathmandu mayoral candidates Bidya Sundar Shakya. Oli is also scheduled to take part in party's electoral campaign in other three metropolitan cities including Lalitpur, Pokhara-Lekhnath and Bharatpur.

There is two-way competition between UML and CPN (Maoist Center) in Chitwan and between UML and Nepali Congress in Pokhara-Lekhnath. Last week, CPN (Maoist Center) and Nepali Congress had forged an electoral alliance pledging to support each other's mayoral candidates respectively in Pokhara-Lekhnath and Bharatpur.